Forensic Science?
Careers in the criminal justice system include law enforcement, the practice of law, courts and corrections and related local, state and federal agencies. For a listing of career descriptions, see a separate flyer on Careers in Criminal Justice. Additionally, you are encouraged to attend the WSU career fairs in the fall and spring semesters to learn about the opportunities that are available in the field of criminal justice.
Do you award academic credit for life or work experience in Criminal Justice?
Generally, we do not award academic credit for life or work experience in Criminal Justice. If you wish, you may discuss your particular experience with our academic advisor or program director for guidance in this matter.
Can I quiz out of any Criminal Justice classes?
You may quiz out of CJ 191, Introduction to Criminal Justice for 3 credit hours. The fee for this exam is $15.00 per credit hour. Arrangements must be made with the academic advisor, program director and the Counseling and Testing Center.
Are there scholarships available in Criminal Justice?
Currently we offer three undergraduate scholarships for junior and senior level students majoring in Criminal Justice: Donald R. Harbour, Conroy O’Brien and Detective Terry Wayne McNett. To apply for these scholarships, use the application in the WSU undergraduate scholarship opportunities booklet. The deadline for these scholarships is February 1. Awards are made for the following academic year.
How do I qualify for an internship experience?
Generally, internships are non-paid positions. The internship experience requires that you are a junior or senior level student majoring in Criminal Justice with at least 15 hours of course work completed. If you qualify, simply pick up an internship booklet from the main office and complete the application. You are advised to contact Ms. Alison McKenney Brown (978-6677) or Ms. Dee Pritchett (978-7200) to discuss your internship interest as well as expectations and requirements for that semester. Once you have been accepted into the internship program, you will enroll in CJ 482 for academic credit. You may complete up to 6 credit hours of internship experience to fulfill elective requirements for the major in criminal justice.
How do I qualify for cooperative education?
Cooperative education is a paid position for academic credit. To qualify, you must have a 2.0 GPA and the completion of 24 credit hours. You may use your current job for cooperative education credit if it is related to the field of criminal justice. If you meet the requirements, contact the Cooperative Education office (978-3688) to set up your appointment. Once you have been accepted into the cooperative education program, you will enroll in CJ 481 for academic credit. You are advised to contact Ms. Alison McKenney Brown (978-6677), or Ms. Dee Pritchett (978-7200) your cooperative education advisors, to discuss expectations and requirements for that semester. You may complete up to 6 credit hours of cooperative education to fulfill elective requirements for the major in criminal justice.
How many hours can I transfer in from a junior college to finish my Criminal Justice degree at WSU?
We recommend that you complete no more than 64 hours from a junior college. To graduate from WSU, you will need 124 non-duplicate hours. Here are some numbers to keep in mind for graduation:
How many Criminal Justice courses can I take at a junior college?
We recommend that you complete lower division courses in criminal justice at the junior college level. These courses include the introductory course to criminal justice, corrections and law enforcement. The remaining requirements in Criminal Justice should be taken at WSU since they are upper division courses. Keep in mind that you will need 40 credit hours of upper division courses for graduation and that 21 of your credit hours must be upper division in criminal justice.
How will I know if what I am taking right now at the junior college will transfer to WSU?
You are encouraged to participate in the Dual Advising Program where you will be assigned two academic advisors, one from the junior college and the other, from WSU. It is recommended that you contact both advisors every semester to discuss your course work. Questions or concerns that you have about transfer course work will be answered during your advising session.
I want to get to know the CJ faculty and the program before I make a decision to attend WSU. How do I get started?
You can schedule a campus visit thru the undergraduate admissions office (978-3085). During your campus visit, you will be given a tour of the campus and you will meet with various representatives who will answer your questions about the university. The major part of your campus visit will include meeting the academic advisor for criminal justice. If you wish to meet with the program director in addition to the academic advisor during your campus visit, you may schedule this as well. Simply let the admissions representative know ahead of time. If you are transferring in from another college, you should plan to bring a copy of your transcript for an evaluation.
How much foreign language will I need for Criminal Justice?
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires 0 to 15 credit hours of foreign language for all BA Degrees and the BS Degrees in Criminal Justice and Gerontology. If English is your second language, this is your foreign language; therefore, the foreign language is not required. Here is how we determine the foreign language requirement for you based on your background:
I am interested in Criminal Justice as a major, but I do not want to complete the foreign language requirement. What are my options?
You may want to consider the Bachelor of General Studies with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. This degree requires 33 hours of course work in 3 different disciplines; 12 of the 33 hours must be upper division courses. Criminal Justice will be your primary emphasis (15 to 21 hours) followed by 2 other disciplines (6 to 9 hours respectively). For instance, you may choose Criminal Justice, Psychology and Sociology as your three areas of emphasis. The Bachelor of General Studies requires that you meet with an academic advisor to design a program of study that will best meet your personal and career objectives.
I am interested in Forensic Criminology. What should I take?
We offer a certificate in forensic criminology within the criminal justice program. By completing four of these classes with a grade of B or better, you are eligible to apply for the certificate in forensic criminology:
You can also complete
these classes to fulfill elective requirements for your major in
criminal justice. By logging on to the website: http://www.aafs.org, www.aafs.org, you can gain access to
information on careers in forensics, graduate programs and
employment opportunities in this field.
What is the student demand for the Forensic Science Bachelor's program?
The application of scientific principles to the detection of criminal behavior and identification has always enjoyed a wide appeal within the general public. Interest in this field is evidenced by the current popularity of ??true crime?... and fictionalized stories of forensic investigations in various media outlets. ??Several colleges report long waiting lists for forensic science courses, and dozens of others are developing courses or entire programs in the science of crime fighting.?? (CBS News August 18, 2003)
Demand among current and prospective students is high. The Criminal Justice department at WSU routinely offers courses related to forensics and scientific investigations. Without exception these courses reach their capacity very quickly and attrition rates are very low. Requests to attend a forensic investigations presentation at a recent WSU Sophomore Day event exceeded the requests to attend all the other options, combined. A recent e-mail survey sent to approximately 300 current Criminal Justice majors asked the following question.
We now have a degree in forensic science. The degree has a strong science focus that upon graduation would qualify the graduate to work in a wide range of forensic science areas. We need to determine the level of student interest in such a program. We are asking all our majors in criminal justice if they would consider majoring in this field if the degree were available. We would appreciate your e-mailing us back if you have an interest.
Forty-seven current Criminal Justice majors (15.6%) indicated a desire, most a strong desire, to pursue such a degree if it were available. An informal survey of seventy students currently enrolled in Dr. David McDonald's Genetics class further substantiates the demand for this program among undergraduate students. Twenty-four of these seventy students, likely all Biological Sciences majors, indicated an ??interest?? in pursuing a Bachelor of Sciences in Forensic Sciences degree.
What is the demand for graduates of this program?
Currently there are approximately 8,400 forensic science technicians employed in laboratories throughout the United States. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for forensic science technicians are expected to increase about as fast as average through the year 2012 (p. 8). Employment demand in related industries (chemical and biotechnology), for which graduates of this program would be eligible candidates, is expected to increase at a faster rate (BJS, 2004). Courts, judges and juries are becoming increasingly more aware of the value of scientific evidence. As a result the demand for forensic skills within the criminal investigation and prosecution processes is increasing. Dillon (1999) predicts that the demand for employment in forensics will increase as a result of the judicial system's continuing need for corroborating evidence in prosecutions
(p. 5).
Criminal Justice Degree Requirements
Forensic Science Degree Requirements
ADVISING CONTACTS:
Ms. Dee Pritchett, Academic Coordinator/Coop Ed and Internships, (316) 978-7200, e-mail: dee.pritchett@wichita.edu
Ms. Alison McKenney Brown, Coop Education and Internships, (316) 978-6677, e-mail: alison.brown@wichita.edu
Brian L. Withrow, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Director, Forensic Sciences Program
Wichita State University
1845 N. Fairmount
Wichita, Kansas 67220-0135
316-978-6539 (p)
316-978-3626 (f)
2006
